The Dawn of the Pirate Era
In the years since we arrived via the pirate teleportation array, if there was one thing I poured my utmost effort into—aside from securing our base—it was undoubtedly gathering information. To the local creatures, we must have looked like a mysterious group that had suddenly dropped out of thin air. Ancient records even showed past conflicts, and with several Three Extremes masters in our ranks, we were a blatant, walking threat. So, to blend into the Oryong Strait as much as possible, I had gathered intelligence on the powerful races, sects, and masters. Yet, information on mermaids remained scarce. I frowned, watching the mermaids observing us from a distance without anchoring their ships. If they were going to come, they should just come. If they had something to say, they should say it. What was the point of just testing the waters from afar?
Fortunately, the Elder had already led the other Dokkaebi into the coastal caves. Currently, the only ones confronting this mysterious group were myself and three of the elders. I was no fool. Since the Night Goblins had waged war over the Oryong Strait and Oryong Island in the past, we had thoroughly discussed ways to conceal our identities. Basic transformation techniques could easily be learned by anyone at the Qi Circulation realm, and key figures like myself and the elders utilized specialized disguise artifacts. Perhaps because the Gang family had been prominent among the Night Goblins for so long, they possessed all sorts of bizarre treasures. We had copied the appearance of the most common intelligent species living nearby, so there shouldn't be any issues. To them, we wouldn't look entirely out of place.
Sure enough, one mermaid at the Qi Circulation realm and several at the Core Condensation realm swam toward us from the ship. Because we had concealed our Three Extremes cultivation, they showed little hesitation. If we had exposed our true might instead of masquerading as peak Core Condensation cultivators, they would have turned their ships around instantly, dialogue be damned. Frankly, if the elders and I stepped up, we wouldn't even have to fear whatever backing lay behind them, let alone this small group. But I absolutely loathed unnecessary hassle. Even now, as they approached, bringing the briny scent of the sea with them, I was deeply contemplating what to do with them.
Yet, completely oblivious to the fact that I could easily slice them up into sashimi, they approached us with bold, squelching strides—or rather, slithers. Leaving sticky tail tracks on the white sandy beach, their movement resembled snakes more than fish. Soon, a male mermaid wearing a conch-shell helmet stepped forward. Perhaps because he was in the Qi Circulation realm while I appeared to be merely in Core Condensation, his attitude was remarkably overbearing.
"Who are you to dwell on this island owned by the Baekcheong Merchant Group of our Shark Clan? Do you not know what it means for another race to reside in someone else's territory without permission?"
"Shark? Like... a shark?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Enough, just get lost."
This was your land? And you're only claiming it now? I glanced back slightly, and the elders looked equally baffled. It was only natural; this island had no caretakers, not even a single signpost indicating ownership, nor any trace of civilization. We had lived here for over seven years, so claiming ownership out of the blue now was just absurd. I explained this to him, very politely and point by point. For now, I had decided to play the role of a humble junior and adopt the posture of the weak.
But in my short—if you could call it short—life as a Dokkaebi, I had overlooked one crucial fact because I had walked nothing but a path of overwhelming success since reaching adulthood. In this cold, wild world, the logic of the weak is never accepted as logic.
"I don't give a damn about any of that. Get lost this instant."
"Aigoo. If that is the case, please grant us just one day, milord. We will quickly pack up our fish traps, our dwellings, and our belongings near here before we depart."
"What? You even set up dwellings and fish traps? Leave those behind too and get lost."
Why, this fishy bastard. Did wearing a conch shell on his head turn his brain into a hollow shell too? Was asking for a single day really that difficult?
"Aigoo, if a day is too difficult, please give us just two hours."
"You only need to leave with your bare bodies. What is so difficult about that?"
"Did a massive storm not rage about a month ago? Our ship ran aground back then, and the repairs are not yet complete, you see."
The problem was, this wasn't a matter of just me leaving with my bare body. The numerous retainers of the Gang family were currently huddled together in the cave. I needed time to gather them and leave; it wasn't a problem that could be solved by me simply vanishing on the spot. Of course, it wasn't like this half-fish bastard cared.
The half-fish bastard's scales quivered as he slammed the trident resting on his shoulder into the sandy beach. Splaaash! A stream of water shot up threateningly from the punctured hole.
"?"
For a moment, I wondered what he was trying to achieve. If fire had erupted from where he struck, I might have understood, but making salty seawater spout up was just confusing. In other words, because it was a cheap trick performed with a mediocre artifact by someone only at the early stage of the Qi Circulation realm, I couldn't even register it as a threat. As I stared blankly at the water trickling onto the white sand, the fish bastard spat fishy saliva as he roared.
"You bastard! You dare test my patience!"
I think you're the one testing mine.
"Ahem."
"Hmph. Hmph."
"Hmm..."
It seemed the elders behind me were already running dangerously low on patience. Though they were enduring well as Three Extremes masters, they had undoubtedly grown weary of this dry, destitute life on the run. Compared to the past, their meals and treatment were pathetic, and their cultivation environment was severely lacking. They carried a strange guilt for abandoning their race, coupled with the sight of their family's declining fortunes. The stress accumulated from all this, combined with a mere early-stage Qi Circulation weakling acting like he was hot shit, had thoroughly pricked their pride as masters. The gazes burning into the back of my head practically screamed:
'Shall we kill him, Master?'
'Patience.'
Of course, not yet. Still, if we wanted to have a proper conversation, we needed to adjust our "hidden boss" act just enough to command some respect.
"You refuse to move to the very end? Fine, die!"
The trident, spiraling with a vortex of water, thrust toward me. I deftly caught it, then buried my fist straight into his belly.
Crack!
"Gah...!"
The scales near his navel—where his human and fish halves merged—shattered, leaving a deep indentation in his flesh. Flapping his fins, the early-stage Qi Circulation fish bastard was sent flying right back into the seawater where he belonged.
"Tsk."
"The Family Head took all the fun for himself."
"Qi Circulation... is that the level we should display?"
The strength I had just shown was exactly at the level of middle-stage Qi Circulation (External Circulation). I didn't want to reveal the peak stage (Universal Circulation) just yet, so I compromised with the middle stage. Although External Circulation and Universal Circulation were both part of the Qi Circulation realm, the gap between them was massive. At the same time, the elders simultaneously released the aura of early-stage Qi Circulation.
"Heh!"
"Four Qi Circulation masters?!"
The fish soldiers who had been pointing their spears at us gasped in terror. Since they were all only at the Core Condensation realm, their reactions were delightfully dramatic. Did I have a phase like that... once? I think I did, but since I spent far more time in the Qi Circulation realm than Core Condensation, I couldn't really remember.
Creaaak—
Perhaps because I had just thrashed one of their Qi Circulation leaders, their response was immediate. Unfazed by the ship's cannons pivoting toward us, I shouted calmly.
"Send out whoever's in charge! Let's have a talk!"
There was a moment of hesitation. Various male and female voices drifted down from the deck. Soon, however, several of the ships slowly approached the shore.
"Are you the representative of this fleet?"
"I am Baek Ryeom, the Young Leader of the Baekcheong Merchant Group. And your name is?"
"I am Hayun."
That was our very first contact with intelligent life since dropping into the Oryong Sea.
. . . . . . . . .
The Young Leader of the Baekcheong Merchant Group. Frankly, I had no idea what the Baekcheong Merchant Group even was. The ancient records only contained information about Oryong Island, not the details of every minor merchant group. However, there was an indirect yardstick to measure their scale.
"To have reached the early stage of Qi Circulation at such a young age is truly impressive."
As the Young Leader of the merchant group, she was indeed at the Qi Circulation realm. Furthermore, counting the guards lined up on either side of her and the fish bastard I had just blasted away, they had a total of four Qi Circulation masters. Though it seemed a bit flimsy since all but one were only at the early stage, it was quite decent considering she was just the Young Leader. It meant the actual Merchant Leader possessed a force far superior to this. The elders and I boarded the ship and asked her various questions.
"Well, we've been out of touch with the world for a while. Where is the Baekcheong Merchant Group located, and how much power do you wield?"
A smug, subtle curve formed on Baek Ryeom's lips.
"My father, the Merchant Leader Baek Jong-eon, has achieved the peak stage of Qi Circulation—the Universal Circulation realm!"
She didn't even mention their merchant group's influence, annual revenue, or net profit. Despite calling themselves a merchant group, she was bragging about their military muscle rather than their business, like showing off tanks and fighter jets. Well, in this world, might made right. The elders and I briefly locked eyes. One, two, three.
"The peak of Qi Circulation!"
"The Universal Circulation realm!"
"Baek Jong-eon! Even his name sounds extraordinary!"
The corners of Baek Ryeom's mouth and those of the surrounding fish soldiers twitched upward in smug satisfaction. It was as if the merchant group's power and her father's influence were their personal virtues. Flattered, Baek Ryeom took it a step further.
"Furthermore! We have the strongest expert of our merchant group, the Night Wanderer of Clear Water, who possesses a magic treasure despite being at the Qi Circulation realm, serving as our guest elder!"
"A magic treasure!"
"To wield a magic treasure despite being at the Universal Circulation realm?!"
"Indeed, the formidable power of the Baekcheong Merchant Group is clear to see at a single glance!"
The formidable power of the Baekcheong Merchant Group... yeah, I got it. They were total weaklings. A ragtag bunch without a single Three Extremes master. We could easily wipe them out, along with whatever backing they had.
"We even enjoy the protection of Blue Dragon Island, one of the five Oryong Islands!"
Ah, scratch that last thought. Their backing was actually pretty formidable.
"Well, to be precise, we belong to Wasa Island, which is backed by Blue Dragon Island. But they say everyone is neighbors if you're just one connection away, so wouldn't Blue Dragon Island practically be our backing too?"
Scratch the scratch. I wondered if this girl, who was supposedly the Young Leader, was actually serious. Or maybe she was just mocking me. Regardless, the simple-minded mermaid, thoroughly pleased by our praise, proudly rested her hands on her hips to show off.
"Hmm."
I didn't know if it was just her, but she had remarkably few fish-like features. Her human form seemed to extend all the way down to her thighs. As I stared at the transition zone near her thighs, where human flesh shifted into fish scales, her face flushed red, and she hastily covered her lower body with her hands.
"...How shameless."
"My apologies. I was simply fascinated because you have so few fish-like parts."
"And that is highly xenophobic."
"?"
Suddenly, I was a xenophobe. Well, whatever. It seemed we had gathered all the information we needed. I glanced back at the elders, and they all nodded in unison.
Clap!
When I clapped my hands, the mermaids flinched slightly. Ignoring their reaction, I spread my fingers with a faint smile playing on my lips.
"First of all, thank you for the explanation. You've shared a lot of very helpful information."
"Yes. So, if you have the means, perhaps you could join our merchant group..."
"Let's summarize the facts you've just laid out for us."
Cut off mid-sentence, Baek Ryeom's delicate eyebrows furrowed. But ignoring her, I began folding my fingers one by one as I continued.
"First. The Baekcheong Merchant Group has a grand total of... two masters at the Universal Circulation realm."
"That's right."
"Second. According to the map Lady Baek Ryeom showed us, if we head straight east from here, we will reach a lawless zone ruled by pirates. A sea region where no one cares about your birth, status, or circumstances."
A pirate world where strength is everything, and no one gives a damn about who we are or where we came from.
"That's... correct."
Baek Ryeom's smile faltered. Sensing the shift in the air, the other soldiers subtly readied their artifacts and channeled their auras. In contrast, the elders crossed their arms, wearing pleased smiles as if thoroughly enjoying my words.
"Third. In the pirate-infested Dongheo Sea, all the islands have either sunk or been destroyed, meaning ships serve as dwellings."
"Fourth. Aside from a few stable zones, the environment of the Oryong Sea is incredibly harsh, requiring professional knowledge, navigational tools, and sturdy vessels for long-distance travel."
"And fifth, the most important point of all."
I let out a wicked, truly pirate-like grin as I unleashed my Three Extremes aura.
"You have a lot of things to give me."
Sometime later, rumors spread across the islands and sea regions that the fleet carrying the Young Leader of the Baekcheong Merchant Group had vanished. The Merchant Leader spent a fortune investigating her whereabouts, but nothing ever came of it.
It was said that several ships, with their flags, figureheads, and clan crests deliberately stripped away, eventually appeared in the Dongheo Sea. But since such ships were a dime a dozen in those lawless waters, the rumors were soon forgotten.
Thus, the great pirate era of the Gang family had officially begun.